Reign hold back Angel City, 2-0

Returning to action after nearly six weeks' break in league play, the Reign hosted Angel City on a warm night at Lumen Field, fighting through a jittery, closely matched first half to come alive for a 2-0 win.

Opening the game on the front foot, Angel City managed a number of half-chances and won a series of corners in the Reign's defensive third in the first 25th minutes. The Reign did well to stymie their efforts, frustrating attempts to enter the area and forcing Angel City to settle for long shots and contested looks, but also struggled to get a foot to the ball or find time and space in Angel City's half.

After the 25th minute, the Reign grew into the game, threatening Angel City with pressure and width, while Angel City sought to counter at speed. The teams traded punches from box to box, but both defenses held strong. A 34th minute effort by Alyssa Thompson – frighteningly similar to the goal she scored against the Reign on March 30th – flashed across the eighteen, but Claudia Dickey stretched to get a fingertip to it, saving it out for a throw. Two minutes later, Sofia Huerta delivered a wicked cross, but Maddie Dahlien, with a defender draped all over her, couldn't get enough on it to challenge goalkeeper Angelina Anderson.

With few stoppages in a free-flowing and cagey first half, the referee blew the whistle at exactly 45 minutes, and the teams went into the locker rooms in a scoreless deadlock.

The second half kicked off again to a cagey affair, and though the Reign had the better of the looks through the 60th minute, neither side could find the breakthrough they searched for. The deadlock persisted until the 66th minute: immediately after a double substitution bringing Jordyn Huitema and Nérilia Mondésir onto the pitch, Jess Fishlock was quickest to the rebound off an Anderson punch, lacing the ball home with authority before Anderson could recover.

After the breakthrough, Angel City pushed hard for the equalizer, but the Reign looked more likely to score a second than concede, finding decent looks through Fishlock, Huitema, and Sally Menti. With Angel City pressing but unable to create, the Reign picked their moments and repeatedly found gaps in Angel City's defense – and ultimately doubled their lead in the 86th minute. After Mia Fishel won a corner, on the ensuing kick, Jess Fishlock glanced the ball off Alana Kennedy and into the net.

With time ticking away, Angel City threw numbers forward and fought hard to get back into the game, but Claudia Dickey and the Reign back line were up to the task and comfortably saw out the 2-0 win.

What Worked: Indefatigable Fishlock

Returning from scoring Wales' first ever goal at the Women's Euro, Fishlock once again showed her mettle, subbing on at halftime and scoring the game-winning goal in the 65th minute. A beautiful poacher's goal, first to the second ball, a strike that left absolutely no room for doubt.

She was also instrumental in extending the Reign's lead in the 86th minute, making the darting run to put glancing contact on the delivery from the corner, leaving Alana Kennedy nowhere to put it but into her own net.

What Worked: Big Fish!

Mia Fishel made her much-anticipated Reign – and NWSL – debut in the 81st minute, and immediately showed her skill and quality. In a short shift, she gave fits to Angel City's defenders with her mix of smooth control and athleticism, and it was her clever footwork that won the Reign the corner that led directly to the second goal. It's just 10 minutes for now, but Fishel looks like a dream fit for the Reign and looks poised to be a big contributor going forward.

What Worked: Sparks off the bench

The Reign made full use of their attacking depth, with important contributions off the bench from Jess Fishlock, Mia Fishel, Jordyn Huitema, and Nérilia Mondésir. While the Reign started taking control of the game around the 30 minute mark, it was the second-half substitutions that turned control into danger, and ultimately secured two goals and a huge win for the home side.

“She just sees the game at a really high level”

Speaking of Jess Fishlock's excellent turn off the bench, Laura Harvey had effusive praise for the veteran midfielder:

“She just sees the game at a really high level. Her understanding of the game is just really high. And to have the luxury to be able to let her watch the first half, and work out how she's going to have success in the game, I don't have to talk to her about that.”

Harvey also called out the trust and connection that Fishlock enjoys with the team.

“I think the team believes that about her, too, right? That she's going to be in the right place when they need her to be. And given the opportunity, she's going to score or create something for them. And, she did that.”

“I don't think I've ever been so stressed on the sidelines”

In her NWSL debut, Mia Fishel spent much of the match on the bench, and called out the tension of watching a hard-fought tie from the side:

“I don't think I've ever been so stressed on the sidelines. Just, like, how back and forth and close the game was, and you know I was itching to get in and try to help in any way I can. Obviously, seeing the goal from Fishlock, you know, you can take a deep breath, and you can relax. I think that's when things opened up. I was happy to come in when the team was loose and we were trying to see it out. Yeah, debut amazing and the team is amazing.”

She also talked about Laura Harvey's halftime talk, after the Reign struggled to find their footing for much of the first half:

“At halftime... Laura lit a fire on us, she's just like, ‘it's not good enough in all aspects.’ We didn't have enough fire, we weren't winning our first or second balls. So I think with that mentality coming into the second half, and then adding Jess, you know, her technical ability and leadership, I think that it was the perfect combination to get that first goal.”

Next up, the Reign visit Cascadia rivals Portland at Providence Park. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 PM on Sunday, August 10th. Watch the match streaming on Paramount+, or bring the away supporter energy in person.